1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a foldable keyboard for tablet computers, cellular or cell phones (or smart phones) and phablets, and the like.
2. Related Art
Tablet computers or tablets, such as the Apple® iPad® tablet computer, have grown in popularity. Such tablet computers are often thin, rectilinear computers with a broad touch screen that can offer media viewing and user input through a graphical keyboard. In addition, cellular or cell phones, or so called smart phones, have also grown in popularity, and have increased their abilities and computing power to blur the distinction between tablets and smart phones. So called phablets have combined the functions of smart phones and tablets.
These tablets, smart phones, and phablets have also increased their abilities and computing power to rival portable computers or laptop computers. One distinction between the laptop computers and tablets, is that tablets lack a keyboard external to their display. Typing or keyed entry on the tablet computers, and smart phones and phablets, can be difficult due to the lack of haptic or tactile response of the graphical keyboard, and the large amount of space required by the graphical keyboard leaves a small viewing area. User's can supplement the tablet computer with a wireless keyboard to facilitate typing or keyed entry. Such wireless keyboards can also be incorporated into the case or folio. As tablets grow smaller and more portable, it is difficult to provide an external keyboard.